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We love anything with bananas and banana pudding is our favorite. I almost hate to make this because I can make myself sick on it. A great way to use up bananas, too!

4 bananas, peeled and slicedVanilla wafers, (I use about 50 wafers to make this pudding)3/4 cup sugar1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 cup all-purpose flour1 cup regular or 2% milk1 1/2 cups evaporated milk4 egg yolks1 teaspoon vanilla flavoringIn a medium bowl, slice bananas and sprinkle with lemon juice to keep them from turning black. In a 2 quart casserole dish layer the vanilla wafers and bananas. (I use 10 of the wafers to go around the side of the bowl just because I think it is pretty this way). In a saucepan on top of the stove with a whisk mix together the sugar, salt, flour, egg yolks, regular and evaporated milk. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously with whisk, about 7 or 8 minutes until thickens. (It will burn very easily so be sure to stir) Remove from stove and stir in vanilla flavoring. Pour over wafers and bananas.

Hello Southern Lady, I noticed you do not use cream of tartar in your meringue. I know this is something my grandma always did. Is this just a stiffener that is no longer needed with mixers? My grandma always beat her meringue with a fork. Just a question. Thank you, Laurie

Hi Laurie, I sometimes use cream of tartar and sometimes I don’t. It is mostly used to stabilize the meringue and it does make meringue whiter and a little fluffier. It is not necessary to use it. If I have it on hand I will use it but it is not a spice that is used often in other recipes.

This pudding recipe was amazing! But my meringue didn’t look at all like the picture. It didn’t get fluffy and was dark colored. It tastes great but didn’t look very pretty lol. Any idea what I could have done wrong? Thanks

This is what my mom made in Iowa so I made same recipe for my family. My husband can’t stans the pudding made with instant pudding. I have some bananas ready and will bake it tonight. So I wait till pudding sets before I top with meringue…is that correct?

ok one more question……I made it and my pudding didn’t set up and turned out very soupy. It was in the fridge for at least 5 hours. Any suggestions or thoughts on what I did wrong or what I can do different the next time?????

I’m about to start making this for my honey for desert for his father’s day dinner and I’m wondering does the pudding need to set up in the fridge first prior to doing the Meringue and baking it to brown?? Or do I do the meringue immediately after pouring the pudding on top of the bananas and wafers???

I made banana pudding, I usually always put topping on as soon as it is made, I had to leave so I covered it and put in fridge, next morning made meringue, put it on the pudding, placed it a preheated stove and in about 5 minutes I heard a noise and opened my oven my Pyrex dish that I always used had cracked and fell apart in the oven.(What a mess) I called the 8oo number, they said never put a cold dish in a hot oven. Again long post, just wanted to say what happen.

These were the silliest comments I have ever read. From the person who put a bowl of ingredients in the oven and expected banana pudding to come out to the people saying can’t I just use the box kind of pudding. Whats wrong with you people? “I can’t eat eggs, I can’t drink milk”. Then maybe you shouldn’t be looking at pudding recipes. Someone actually wrote” I put banana flavoring in mine for true banana flavor”. There’s 4 bananas in the recipe! Bananas have true banana flavor! Geez people get it together

Thank you so much for this recipe. My mom was from Tennessee but we grew up in California. She used to make it for us as children. She passed away when I was 16 so we never got her recipe. I am so excited to try this. I love your site, thank you so much !!!!!!

This may not be the best place to make this comment, but I have read all 92 comments and not a one mentions using this custard for making Homemade Ice Cream. My mother always used this recipe from scratch for her delicious banana pudding and this same recipe for the cooked custard for her homemade ice cream. Of course, basically it is vanilla custard for vanilla ice cream, but you can add any flavoring you wish. My favorite is homemade peach when peaches are in season. Try it, you will love it!!

My mother made banana pudding often this way, and I used too. The filling is so delicious when made from scratch. I rarely make it now, but think I will get back to it!! Someone mentioned using pudding which is what you get most of the time at restaurants and pot luck dinners. But believe me, pudding doesn’t even come close to being as good as the filling cooked from scratch.

It is so easy to make the banana pudding and the chocolate pie that I wouldn’t think of using the pudding mixes~~ I make the banana pudding for all ‘family and church’ gatherings and the chocolate pie for most anytime anyone wants it~~ lol Nothing like it~~ Please do not, not make it because you think it will be hard. It is not~ I didn’t make Chess or Pecan pies for years till I finally looked at a recipe and they are the easiest things ever to make~ The best to eat also~~

I also do mine a little diffrent I do not use flour I use 2 to 3 tablespoons of corn starch in the filling to make mine be or get it to thicken thats how my mom taught me and have never had a problem doing it that way but thats my way.

i love to cook and back i was taught by my Grandfather how to cook when i was knee high to a grass upper i will love making up your banana pudding and i am sure my son’s will love eating it . p.s.Happy Mothers Day

So glad to see a real banana puddin recipe. I grew up eatin this and my Momma made the best ever! When we moved to Virginia, I was at a work function and everyone was raving over someones banana pudding so I went to get me a serving and it was jello pudding with nilla wafers. I looked twice and wondered what all the fuss was about as that was not “real” banana puddin. I have tried to recreate my Moms puddin recipe and she can tell me whats in it, but not how much. She is a just till it looks right, type of cook. I finally found a recipe that is as close to hers as I can get.

This is the BEST recipe for banana pudding that there is! The way I have always made it, just like my Mama did. It is actually very similar to the one on Nabisco’s box of vanilla wafers. Pure joy and deliciously comforting to eat. My favorite dessert of all.

This recipe is most like my mom’s recipe except we make it in a 9×13 pan and used a double boiler for making the pudding. I like the idea of the lemon juice for keeping the bananas from turning brown. We really enjoy a good pan of banana pudding in our home, grandkids and all.

MY MOTHER USED TO MAKE THIS BANANA PUDDING . I COULD HAVE EATEN THE WHOLE BOWL BUT COULDN’T FIND HER RECIPIES. MY EX DAUGHTER USED TO MAKE THE PUDDING ALSO WITHOUT THE BOX PUDDING. MY HUSBAND LOVED IT , SO WHILE HE WAS LIVING, SHE USED TO MAKE THEM FOR HIM I USED TO BEG HER TO MAKE ONE FOR ME BUT SHE JUST COULDN’T BECAUSE IT UPSET HER SO MUCH, REMEMBERING HOW HE LOVED FOR HER TO MAKE THEM. SHE HAS MISPLACED HER RECIPE NOW, SO I WILL SHARE THIS ONE WITH HER. WILL GO TO THE STORE AND GET THE INGREDIENTS TOMORROW. I AM PRE DIABETIC BUT I JUST HAVE TO HAVE A BOWL OF THIS DOUGLAS ANN LIVINGSTON

I loved banana pudding as a kid (and still do) but I hated soggy vanilla wafers. Many, many years ago, when I was young my Mom would make this and leave part of one end with no wafers for me. No one else minded soggy wafters.

This was my first attempt to make a “made from scratch” banana pudding. I’ve always used the cook and serve boxed pudding. Had to hide the it so my husband and son wouldn’t eat it all this afternoon. lol Needless to say, I won’t be buing anymore boxed stuff. Thanks

My mother would make tapioca pudding with pineapple and meringue. One of my favorites along with her banana pudding made like the recipe posted here for banana pudding. Like Vanilla instead of Banana flavoring. I like the natural taste of the banana.

Thank you so much Billy for all your comments. I am so happy I had this pudding recipe for you. I sent you a private message on your Facebook page thanking you for your kind comments today. I appreciate you.

Hi Judy! I grew up in Maryland and my mom who’s from Tennessee always made this. Well, no one else I knew served this dessert so I always thought it was her specialty. When Greg and I moved to Arkansas and were looking for a place to live we stopped at a chain restaurant called The Dixie Cafe for a quick bite. They had this on the menu and I got so excited telling Greg it was just like my mom’s. Then when we moved here, I realized it was quite popular and had to laugh at myself. My only complaint is that Greg dislikes bananas except in banana bread. I can’t make it and it’s one of my favorites. Yours is beautiful. Thanks for this post!

Katherine, You will have to make it just for you and eat it all yourself. Don’t let Greg have any even if he begs for just a bite. I don’t know how anyone could not like this pudding. Guess you could make two bowls and just put the pudding and the wafers in his bowl and you get the bananas in yours. That boy doesn’t know what is good!

FINALLY a recipe for this the way my mama did it! I lost her recipe during moving her things and have searched for the recipe the most like hers! Thanks…and Katherine..you can exchange the bananas for other fruits. I never have done it, but I’ve had it at places. Pineapple is good fixed like this! Doesn’t sound like it I know..but it is!

This is the “Real Thing”!! Can’t stand the fake with box pudding mix and cool whip topping. Do you think maybe I am still living in another generation because I love food that is prepared with love rather than pull out a box and whip up a meal? Loved your recipe…just like mine (must be the KY in us).

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